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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.—A young girl in a blue dress with a shimmering wrap stood at the top of the Tivoli Theatre staircase, while a lady took her picture from the lobby below. Michelle Baker, a medical professional, brought her granddaughter Heidi to see Shen Yun. Heidi is a musician.

Heidi said she admired the Shen Yun Orchestra. “I play the alto saxophone; I just feel like I can respect that more when they are playing live music,” she said.

The Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra toured on its own for the first time in 2013. It gave a series of concerts at Carnegie Hall and around North America. “I would just like to say that they are really skilled and I am so impressed. Phenomenal,” said Heidi.

Her grandmother was touched by Shen Yun’s dance about contemporary Chinese history, The Steadfast Lotus. She said, “Oh gosh. It brought tears to my eyes. It really did, honestly.”

According to the program, “Under the last 60 years of atheist communist rule, this divinely inspired culture has been almost completely destroyed. That is why you cannot see a performance like Shen Yun in China today.”

Mrs. Baker, with a tender expression, opened her arms and said, “I loved it, absolutely loved it, it’s beautiful. It’s horrible to think that they are not welcome in their own country. It’s just heartbreaking.”

She said it’s America’s good fortune that the Shen Yun artists work and perform here. “But the good old USA, we’re waiting, it’s to our benefit, that they can come here.”

Both said they felt grateful that Shen Yun visited Chattanooga.

Heidi added, “All the colors just came together. The dancers and the singers were so skilled. I would just like to say how skilled they are, and how hard they worked and we appreciate that they came here.”

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.